Yard marker for football competition

ABSTRACT

A marker for use with football sideline chains comprising a base plate having numerical yard line indicia printed thereon, the base plate having a viewing plate arranged in superimposed disposition over the base plate with a yard line indicia viewing bore formed in the viewing plate to conceal all but a preselected yard line indicia from view. A clip means is secured to the viewing plate for attachment of the marker means to the football sideline chain.

United States Patent Hanauer Sept. 24, 1974 [54] YARD MARKER FOR FOOTBALL 3,259,311 7/1966 Sama et al. 116/133 X COMPETITION FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Burton m Avon, Minn- 207,083 11/1923 Great Britain 116/133 Assigneez Hanauer Machine works 1,352,796 l/l964 France 116/133 lncorported Avon Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 390,093 ABSTRACT A marker for use with football sideline chains com- 52 us. (:1 116/133, 40/125 J 116/120 prising a base P1ate having numerical Y line indida 51 Int. Cl. 60919116 Printed thereon the base P1ate having a viewing Plate [58] Field of Search" 11 6/11 4 R 133, 120 DIG 6; arranged in superimposed disposition over the base 110/125 J plate with a yard line indicia viewing bore formed in the viewing plate to conceal all but a pro-selected yard [56] References Cited line indicia from view. A clip 'means is secured to the viewing plate for attachment of the marker means to UNITED STATES PATENTS the football sideline chain. 2,064,745 12/1936 Harrie 40/125 J i 3,073,523 1/1963 Garland 116/133 x 3 Claims, 3 Drawing g e YARD MARKER FOR FOOTBALL COMPETITION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an improved football line marker, and more specifically to a football line marker which is adapted to be releasably attached to the sideline chain at a predetermined disposition along the chain. Yard line indicia is printed on the marker means in order to identify the point of attachment to the sideline chain. These markers may, accordingly, be employed to assist the individuals officiating the game in preserving the location of the sideline chain during those occasions when the extent of progress of a team is to be measured for first-down considerations.

In a typical football contest, the awarding of a firstdown to the offensive team occurs upon the team gaining at least yards from the scrimmage line. In those cases wherein the determination of award of a firstdown is in doubt, the officials move the sideline chains from the traditional sideline position to the field position of the football in order to determine the extent of forward progress made by the team. In order to accurately retain the location of the sideline chain when on the field, the official will normally mark the position of intersection between a marked yardline and the sideline chain. Traditionally, the official will grip the sideline chain at its point of intersection, and retain this gripped position until the forward progress measurement operation has been completed, whereupon the sideline chains are returned to the sideline at either the old or a newly established location. Inasmuch as the exact point of intersection between the established yard line and the sideline chain can be lost in the event gripping contact is interrupted, it is frequently desirable to preserve this point of intersection by clipping a marker indicia to the sideline chain at its point ofintersection. The present invention provides a reliable, durable, and convenient system which enables ready attachment of the marker means to the sideline chain, with the location being identified and preserved by presetting the marker means with the appropriate yard line identification. The line marker of the present invention is rugged and durable, and may be utilized under those adverse environmental conditions which are sometimes encountered during a football contest.

Essentially, the apparatus of the present invention includes a base plate with yard line indicia thereon, the base plate having superimposed thereon a viewing plate which conceals all but a pre-selected yard line indicia from view. The base plate and viewing plate are retained together so that frictional forces will be encountcred which will permit deliberate motion to occur between the base plate and the viewing plate, but will, at the same time, prevent unintentional relative motion to occur between the base plate and viewing plate.

In order to provide a means for attachment to the sideline chain, a releasable clip is provided and is secured to the viewing plate. This clip is easily released from the chain whenever it is necessary to re-establish a position for the sideline chains along the field.

Because of the weather conditions which are encountered during a football contest, it is helpful to utilize a structure of this type which is rugged, durable, and also warm to the touch. The device of the present invention achieves each of these objectives.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved marker for use with football sideline chains, which is rugged, durable, and warm to the touch.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved yard line marker for use with football sideline chains which has a releasable clasp means secured to one portion thereof so as to permit ease of attachment and release from the sideline chain.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved football line marker for use with football sideline chains which is compact in size, and which, at the same time, provides clear viewing of the yard line indicia in order to simplify and expedite the re-positioning of the marker whenever the occasion re quires.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with the preferredmodification of the present invention, the football yard line marker generally designated 10 includes a base plate 11 having a viewing plate 12 disposed in superimposed relationship thereover. A viewing port is formed at 13 in the plate 12, with attaching rivet 14 being utilized to secure the base plate and viewing plate together. Washer means 15, as indicated in FIG. 2, frictionally engages the base plate and the viewing plate together, with end flanges 16 and 17 being provided on attaching element 14 to retain the elements securely together in their stacked disposition. If desired, a washer such as washer 18 may be employed to provide a greater area of contact between the base plate 11 and its attaching means.

The materials of construction for the base plate and viewing plate are preferably vinyl plastic, and for most purposes will have a thickness of between onesixteenth inch and one-eighth inch. Such materials are, of course, readily commercially available from a variety of sources. The general resilient characteristic of vinyl sheet is desirable from the standpoint of providing a stack which may be frictionally engaged, one to another, without loss of the ability to relatively rotate these plates.

In one embodiment, vinyl sheeting of 1/ 16th inch thickness was employed with good results. The central washer material 15 may be fabricated from the same material as the plates 11 and 12, but may, if desired, be prepared from a metallic material such as copper or the like. Also it has been found desirable to texturize the inwardly facing surfaces of the plates 11 and 12, with 3 4 such texturing being also, readily commercially availtween said base plate and viewing plate means, a able. yard line indicia viewing bore formed therein and The clip means illustrated in FlG. l is a conventional spaced f aid pin re eiving bore at aid ertain snap clasp mounted on a slit ring. Such clasps are also predetermined di d commercially available and also are available in a vari- 5 C. said viewing plate means h i an ear b portion ety of sizes to be received within the individual links of extending radially outwardly f Said base plate at a Si l n Chamspoint beyond the circumferential edge of said base I claim:

l plate, said ear tab having a clip means secured 1. Marker means for use with football sideline chains thereto for attach em to Said Sideline Chainand comprising, in combination: I

a. a base plate, pin means disposed centrally of said The marker F F define? m Glam 1 be mg P base plate and numerical yard line indicia arranged ticularly characterized in that said base and said viewradially outwardly of said pin means at a certain mg plate are fabncated from l predetermined radius; 3. The marker means as defined in claim 1 being parviewing plate means in Superimposed disposition ticularly characterized in that washenmeansare proover said base plate and having a pin receiving bore Vlded between Said base Plate and Sald Viewmg Plate formed centrally thereof for fir atta h t f means, said washer being fabricated from vinyl resin said viewing plate means to said base plate to prosheet.

vide for frictional and resistive relative motion be- 

1. Marker means for use with football sideline chains and comprising, in combination: a. a base plate, pin means disposed centrally Of said base plate and numerical yard line indicia arranged radially outwardly of said pin means at a certain predetermined radius; b. viewing plate means in superimposed disposition over said base plate and having a pin receiving bore formed centrally thereof for firm attachment of said viewing plate means to said base plate to provide for frictional and resistive relative motion between said base plate and viewing plate means, a yard line indicia viewing bore formed therein and spaced from said pin receiving bore at said certain predetermined radius; and c. said viewing plate means having an ear tab portion extending radially outwardly of said base plate at a point beyond the circumferential edge of said base plate, said ear tab having a clip means secured thereto for attachment to said sideline chain.
 2. The marker means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said base and said viewing plate are fabricated from vinyl resin sheet.
 3. The marker means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that washer means are provided between said base plate and said viewing plate means, said washer being fabricated from vinyl resin sheet. 